Chapter-3: The community comes of age (1970-2000)

Community voices -chapter three

During 2000 and early 2001, we approached individuals and members of organisations for their perspectives on the local Punjabi Sikh community and the state of multiculturalism in the Woolgoolga-Coffs Harbour area. These are some of the responses we received:

Overviews

Donald J. Clinch

Donald was a pharmacist in Woolgoolga from 1951 to 1981 and has been a real estate agent in the area since 1954.

Fifty years spent in Woolgoolga servicing the town as a chemist, real estate agent and on a series of civic bodies have given me an almost unique opportunity to observe the progress and degree of integration of Sikhs into the Australian way of life and the acceptance of these newcomers by the people who were here before they arrived. It has also enabled me to acquire knowledge of Indian customs, day-to-day routines, methods of doing business and insights into Indian culture over three generations and into the fourth.

The early members of the Sikh community in Woolgoolga were hardworking people, but most of them were unable to read or write English and many were unable to speak it. So they sought my help with many of the needs they had in getting on in their new country and in completing the statutory forms required of them by the government of the day.

In the early 1950s, maybe 15 or so Indian banana growers, almost all without their families, resided here, sometimes in packing sheds in fairly primitive style. They wore colourful turbans as part of their religious practice. I recall one living in Unwins Road in part of a packing shed on a sloping site. The cooking facility under the floor had been fashioned from clay and moulded over a small trench in the ground, which became the firebox with the flames being funnelled up round a pan sitting on top.

They were happy and worked hard seven days a week, daylight to dark ... no going fishing or playing bowls on Saturday or Sunday for them! It was said that these men stayed on after World War II during which time they had come to Australia from India and Fiji to help grow bananas. A lot of them also formed canecutting gangs to work at Maclean, Murwillumbah and as far as Gordonvale and Cairns in Queensland in the season, while some of their friends here looked after their plantations.

This hard and backbreaking work was done to provide extra income so that they might get established here and bring their families to Australia. Every couple of years they would take excursion airfares for a one month's stay in the Punjab to spend a brief time with their families.

They also subscribed to the philosophy that they would help one another get a start in the new country so that money could be generated to bring their families out. Many of the documents required by the Australian Government to secure entry and residency for wives and children (these second-generation Sikhs) were filled out and lodged by me. Processing took six months or so.

The first generation were all farmers, mostly from the Punjab, a rich farming area in India -and they farmed well. Whilst the men easily handled their new location and mixed in well with the Australian growers, when their wives arrived they were at a disadvantage. Most only spoke Punjabi and so could not communicate with the Australian women around them. They were also very shy. As was the custom, the women and children helped on the banana farms nailing up the old-style wooden banana boxes and helping pack the fruit. It was "all-in" on packing days.

A number of Woolgoolga people quietly observed the Indians' industrious endeavours and as a group these local people were in a position, unofficially and without fuss, to influence them and help smooth the way for them. In the process of doing this, these locals observed that there were some family tensions concerning the younger members. They were required or encouraged by the school system to be Australians between 9 am and 3.30pm on school days, and required by their parents

to be Punjabis and follow their deeply ingrained traditions and customs at all other times.

These young people saw, but could not enjoy, the much more liberal Australian approach to lifestyle, marriage, sport and work and whilst they tolerated this situation (some better than others) it was disturbing for them. It was almost as if they were required to have two personalities that could be switched on and off according to circumstances. And the youth did not find that easy to do or accept. When this second generation grew to its late teens, they were beginning to rebel against what they saw as a too strict Indian way of life. The parents recognised this but the situation was not handled well by the older generation who viewed the father as the absolute head of the family and law unto all family members.

Some of the children were given the chance of tertiary education and took it. At the same time, the very firmly entrenched system of arranged marriages between Indians meant that young Indian people from all over that continent, and the world, came to Australia to marry. And quite a number of these had tertiary education too ... and with it, perhaps, a wider viewpoint on all sorts of things.

Just before this period in history, the Indians saw the need to practise the Sikh religion in a recognised place of worship as critical to maintaining their sense of religious togetherness and moving towards maturity as a group. But contrary to expectations, the urgency for action caused a split in the ranks when the First Sikh Temple in Hastings Street was built -because it only had the support of part of the community.

As a chemist I had to learn a smattering of their language, so that I could be sure they knew how many tablets or how many teaspoons or tablespoons of medicine they needed to take and how often, and to offer counsel in health matters when necessary. So I was privy to some of their extra needs, and had quietly lobbied the Federal Government through the local member Ian Robinson, for an input in kind and for Government sponsorship for the construction of a Sikh temple in an appropriate place. But my hopes were short-circuited by the Indians' determination to do something immediately. I was saddened by the resultant building which was of little architectural significance and in an inconspicuous position in town, though history shows it has served its adherents well. A Punjabi school was later opened in the grounds next door.

Those in their community who had not supported the First Sikh Temple later consulted me as an estate agent and I was able to secure for them the site on the highway on the southern approach to Woolgoolga. There were problems in getting it for them. One of the Australian owners had served in World War II and had been imprisoned by the Japanese. He had suffered extreme cruelty, supposedly from an Indian guard in the Japanese army. These experiences had left a lasting hurt (even hatred), and had a profound effect on his dealings with Indians, but after considerable negotiation the site was secured.

I was able to direct the leaders of the project for a second temple to a young Coffs Harbour architect who had spent time in India. The Taj Mahal had made a great impression on him because of its architectural and religious significance, and he found this a great help in producing a design which had enough Indian flavour as to be genuine within the low budget available to him.

The supporters "took round the turban" and the money was forthcoming. A Sikh priest was found and the second small temple served as a holy place of worship of authentic appearance. Later it was enlarged and rebuilt round the original, the dome of the first temple being preserved for posterity. The temple was a very clear and positive statement of the establishment of the Sikh community in Woolgoolga ... for the passing world to see ... a landmark ... a thing of pride.

Meanwhile, the third generation had arrived. It was fairly predictable that the second-generation parents had recognised that banana growing was hard work and that there might be better alternatives. The Sikh community had grown ... there were more young and teenage children. They had merged with others at school. They could see there were better ways, not available to their parents, to achieve, and almost universally they enjoyed and took advantages of the educational opportunities available to all the citizens of their new country. Taking up the offer of higher education brought with it the necessity of leaving home and venturing into the wider world, where, yet again, they saw more liberal customs and lifestyles; and they were released to some degree from the very tight control of the older generations. They had greater freedom of choice to experience a greater variety of things.

Of course the first two generations of Punjabis were successful through their hard work and inherent knack for business dealings, and acquired for themselves better conditions, bigger and better houses, bigger and better cars, bigger and better lifestyles and a bigger spread of land ownership.

But their quiet and ongoing assimilation and general acceptance into Woolgoolga received a severe setback during a disagreement with the Returned Services' League (RSL) Club about the wearing of headgear in the club. The club had a fixed outlook which was directly opposed to the purportedly religious outlook of the Sikhs and both sides appeared inflexible. I was an observer of the considerable behind-the-scenes manoeuvring by the militants on both sides. A compromise was reluctantly agreed upon after Government intervention. I don't think either side felt happy, but the passage of time has now softened feelings. But these were dark days in the process of assimilation, which was set back 10 years.

The happy fact is that today white Australian residents in Woolgoolga see no difference in the colours of faces. Time, tolerance and evolution have merged us all together. As the second and third generations developed

and found their feet, they had the communication skills and experience to enable them to join service and sporting clubs and, in fact, to take their place in the town and its activities as welcome equals. Differences remain, of course, particularly in regard to commercial practice and outlook on marriage. But my opinion is that one more generation, this fourth generation coming up, is all that will be necessary for those of Sikh origin to overcome family conflict by means of their wider experience in the Australian way of life. At the same time any minor residual reservations in the minds of the Australians in the community will melt away.

It is inevitable in the merging of diverse cultures that there will be times of stress and hurt, especially if one side feels it has a proprietory interest or existing ownership. We see it in the current process of reconciliation between Aboriginal and white culture in Australia. We need tolerance and clear thinking to deal with these issues. The process of the absorption of Indian migrants into the community here was no exception, and at one stage it appeared that there might be a small core of radicals who could well railroad the quiet progress being achieved behind the scenes by concerned parties.

And what of the people? In the year 2000, 24-year-old Michael Singh, a member of Woolgoolga Bowling Club, was crowned NSW State men's singles bowling champion and he wore a turban during his winning game. We've come a long way since 1951!

Douglas Whitton

Douglas was the principal of Woolgoolga Central School in the late sixties and a founding member of the First Sikh Temple management committee.

Racial tolerance and, more importantly, acceptance, is an attitude of mind. Government grants and university scholarship have little to do with it. Our starting point should be that all races are human beings and deserve to be respected as such. Help should be given where need exists. Where such need does not exist, all people should be expected to stand on their own feet. To give assistance to people simply on the grounds of race is to demonstrate that they are inferior. There is no surer way to destroy any race.

Before I came to Woolgoolga a school inspector had chastised me for "quixotic departures from established procedures". I remain proud of that unintended accolade! Education should not, cannot, be restricted by established procedures no matter how long established or revered by officialdom. My first such departure was at Woolgoolga Central School when the Gideons wanted a full school assembly to be held so that they could present Bibles to the pupils. I would not, could not, accept such religious intolerance towards non-Christian pupils.

The next situation arose when a Sikh religious instructor, Mrs Surjikour [Surjit Kaur], was encouraged to provide religious instruction to Sikh pupils and so give them the same rights as accorded to Christian students. She had been a secondary school teacher in India but efforts to employ her to teach Punjabi had failed because she was not a NSW certificated teacher and funds were not available for such teaching in those days ... With one or two exceptions a wonderful staff stood by these decisions despite an obviously irate inspector.

It was an exhilarating student body. Somehow the pupils managed to include a one-legged boy in their ball games. Another, even more physically handicapped student, who rolled himself from place to place in a sugar bag and declined any offer of help, was accepted as one of their own. And this in the sixties!

Despite considerable adult intolerance in the town, a Sikh lad was elected school captain by the student body. That boy, I am proud to say, is now Dr Amarjit Singh More, a local medical practitioner and chairperson of the Sikh Temple committee. That election confirmed what I had observed in Middle Eastern schools: children accept each other on quality values.

Even where some Sikh children had problems with English, the children managed to communicate. They played together. That was vital, particularly so in the few instances where children of one race were forbidden at home to sit with children of another race. (Well-constructed play and games are much neglected educational tools today.) Boys had a considerable advantage -it was called football and was played to their own peculiar rules! Girls were initially more hesitant on both sides of the divide, although Sikh girls picked up English more quickly than the boys. In brief the two communities acted and played as one at school. I am not sure that happened outside. It is we adults who impart bigotry.

With few exceptions, Woolgoolga was prejudiced on both sides of the divide. These exceptions, besides most of the staff led by Jean Robinson and Trevor Cowling, included Don Clinch, the local pharmacist, Garbakash Singh, Narranjan Singh and an out-of-town sawmill operator, Geoff Hall. They were under considerable community pressure. I had experienced similar illogical pressure when I was vice-president of the Scottish-USSR Society. Silly, ignorant bigotry is always hard to accept.

The Sikhs had considerable difficulty at election time. So, as returning officer, I "appointed" a liaison officer fluent in Punjabi and English. He was successful in encouraging more Sikhs to vote and to vote with greater understanding of procedures. Difficulties emerged when I claimed payment on his behalf. Eventually he was paid but I was not appointed returning officer at the next election.

An application for funds was made in order to start an English-language class for non-English-speaking adults. Margaret Engel, a trained and

experienced ex-public schoolteacher, had undertaken this demanding task even before the class was officially sanctioned. She had that elusive quality, enthusiastic empathy: the hallmark of a worthwhile teacher.

She took the class in her own home and at the CWA rooms, labelling in English things and places familiar to her students. That of course is how children learn language and even multiple languages simultaneously so quickly and successfully. Syntax comes much later. Two totally unexpected problems emerged. A woman from another community group refused an invitation to join. Through an interpreter she exclaimed she would not attend a class with these "wogs".

The other problem was persuading some men there was nothing untoward in their womenfolk attending such lessons. (I had experienced this objection in the Middle East. There I suggested an English-speaking wife would bring much prestige to her husband.) In Woolgoolga I relied on the undoubted fact that English was easily the predominant language in Australia and essential to the future wellbeing of their much loved children.

When my wife and I recently visited the Woolgoolga Neighbourhood Centre, two teachers were teaching English to adults. These adult students had the best of both worlds: highly motivated teachers and up-to-date computer aids. Such teaching has come a long way from the days of Margaret's pioneering work. The centre's enthusiastic director, Rashmere Bhatti, was justifiably proud of the various multicultural activities in progress. Rashmere had been fortunate to be taught at the Central School by a fine but unpretentious teacher, Kel Engel, who thoroughly deserved the promotion he subsequently received.

Leaders of the Sikh community kindly invited me to be a member of a committee planning to build the first Sikh temple in Australia. Narranjan Singh was the driving force on the committee. To him, problems, and there were plenty of these, were simply challenges to be overcome. I cherish fond memories of that committee and treasure the steel armlet they presented me. Eventually the temple was built: not the easily noticed temple in evidence today, but a simple brick-faced structure rather like a shearing shed. Reverence was and still is much in evidence, however. The opening was marred by the windows of the temple being smashed a few hours earlier. A poor order of Catholic sisters arranged and paid for hurried replacements. They were an example to at least one other Woolgoolga Christian group.

The opening was performed by a Federal Minister, Senator Reg Withers, representing the Prime Minister. The senator was visibly appalled by the bigotry of many in the town, including the RSL and bowling clubs' negative attitude towards the Sikhs. At the conclusion of the ceremony he took the temple committee to the bowling club, the less negative of the two. To the surprise of that club, the roof didn't fall in. Today that club is more

mature, and now welcomes members of all races. The National Library in Canberra opened a file to commemorate that historic opening of the First Sikh Temple in Australia. Included in the file is the late Garbakash Singh's introductory address. The Australian Broadcasting Commission very properly gave substantial coverage to this unique event in the history of Australia.

However, racial acceptance is still not universal despite the passing of years, as evidenced by the partially successful Sydney North Shore opposition to the building of a Sikh temple in that area. One of the grounds for objection was that it might bring the smell of curry. I wonder if a Presbyterian church would be objected to because it might bring the smell of porridge.

We still have a considerable distance to go. Despite recent nonsense from a Federal minister, racial acceptance has little to do with ethnic food. If I stuff myself with Chinese food but do not accept my Chinese neighbour, racial intolerance is not far away. However, even if I detest Chinese food but accept my Chinese neighbour as an equal human being, a sound basis for racial tolerance has been established.

A recent visit to the Woolgoolga Primary School thrilled me. What a fine thing to see planned buildings, the enthusiasm of the community language teacher and the success of the English-as-a-Second-Language class. I thank the school's principal for his professional courtesy.

I was delighted to see the first principal of Woolgoolga High School had been a colleague of my high school teaching days. The 23 subjects offered in years seven to 10, and 30 offered in years 11 and 12 dismayed me. (The long list of subjects offered did not include Punjabi.) I would have liked to learn more about the school from a professional colleague, but alas, despite the school's laudable aim of ensuring close and open communication with parents and the community, I was unable to do so. I trust it was simply a misunderstanding.

There is as yet no centre of excellence established in Sikh and Punjabi studies. India's information technology (IT) expertise is of worldwide importance, with the Sikhs playing an important part. Australia should establish such a centre of excellence wherever a migrant community has established itself. The bank of knowledge of non-English languages is, and will increasingly be, essential to Australia's place in the global village.

I expect today's Woolgoolga has risen above objections to the Sikh practice of cremating their dead which greeted me on my arrival in town. It was simply pathetic nonsense, led by a migrant from another country. It helped me understand that Sikhs, my fellow human beings, had to face a considerable amount of intolerance. Also, I trust Sikh men and women are taking a greater part in the affairs of the town and the wider district. They had and have much to offer.

My service in Woolgoolga left me with some vivid memories, and I

remain grateful for these. It opened my mind to a family-orientated community of Sikhs. Through highly intelligent leadership, divergent thinking and hard work they had developed a thriving economy. Here was none of the imposed begging-bowl expectancy I had observed in other parts of the state. This attitude and the success of the Sikhs should be a pointer to the biased and unwarranted intolerance of many in the town ... Later I cited Woolgoolga as a worthwhile and enriching multicultural experience when I lectured on educational psychology in a teacher education department.

My critical allegiance to the NSW system of public education and to the NSW Teachers Federation, despite their blemishes, remains firm today ... Democracy is something that has to be nourished, maintained, extended and defended. Australia's present neglect of public education with its accompanying threat to democracy demands such an attitude. Of course there are problems with the concept of multiculturalism. But there are also great advantages and possibilities. Australia is now a more exciting place in which to live, with more diversified thinking.

Although multiculturalism may be encouraged by government departments, academic theses and scholarship grants, without respect, acceptance and equality in the general community, it is simply another meaningless buzz word. Active multiculturalism is no longer an option for Australia. Recent events in Germany and Britain, for example, show it is an imperative. Today's Woolgoolga has made great strides towards meeting that multicultural imperative.

Elizabeth-Anne Grewal (nee Elizabeth-Anne Rediger)

Elizabeth-Anne is a non-Punjabi Australian who married a son of the village.

When I was a teenager living in Woolgoolga in the 1960s there were only a few Indian families here, not nearly as many as now. At school I remember Amrik Thandi, Basil Badni, Baljit Singh, Abnash Kaur, Hardeep Mullee and Amarjit and Desa More. I also remember the children of the two Pakistani families, Akram and Zora Dean and Praveen Dean, who were at school at the same time.

I certainly remember the way that Amarjit More was so helpful when I had my arms full with home science bowls etc and no spare arms to get everything to school. He came to my aid on many occasions. My parents, Roll and Rae Rediger, made friends with many of the Indian families and as a result I was introduced to Indian food (which I still love to this day) and culture.

Surjeet Katir

Surjeet Katir [Surjit Kaur], who was the first priestess of the First Sikh Temple in Hastings Street, lived not a block from our house and became very good friends with our family. It was from their place that I went to my first Sikh wedding, when I was about 14.

When I was 15, I was asked to go and introduce myself to Randhir Atwal, who was newly arrived in Woolgoolga, and to help her practise her English. To my great joy and surprise, I found a new and close friend. When Raghbir arrived to marry Randhir, it was lovely to go to their wedding and as time went on see their two sons born and watch them grow into very nice men. I am very proud to this day to still have their friendship.

Over this time it was a joy to see Randhir's mother practise her limited English on me when I called to visit and the rest of the family were not home. Over this time I also saw two of Randhir's brothers marry. One of the brothers was kind enough to take a pair of earrings I had back to India and have them remade for me. These I still wear to this day and I am told they are now back in fashion. Only this year at the funeral of Randhir's father, I went to hug one of her brothers and said to him that I probably shouldn't be doing this, and his reply was, "Elizabeth, you can do as you want as you are family". For this I thank him, as it meant so very much to me.

When I was 17, I started work in the National Australia Bank in Woolgoolga. Here I was to meet many of the bank's Indian customers. For the next four years I was in the ledger department of the bank.

When I was 18 I met the man I was eventually to marry. But that took another nine years. One day my parents asked me to stay home as they were having a fairly new Indian family for afternoon tea and they had a few children and they asked me to stay and look after them. At the same time Jaswir Grewal (Joe, my future husband) was asked to come and look after his brothers and sister. This was my first introduction to the Grewal family (my future in-laws).

When my relationship with Joe became more than friendship, it was not easy, not only as I was about to go overseas for seven months (which I did) but also as my position with the bank was such that I was on the relief staff and travelled all over NSW at the drop of a hat. So we did not have a traditional courtship. Over this time I was to meet a friend of Joe's from Cairns -David Maffia!. He told me straight-out that Joe would never marry me, as he would marry an Indian from India. I have to admit to telling David that he didn't know what he was talking about.

When Joe and I became engaged, it was quite a shock to both the Indian and Australian communities in Woolgoolga and I have to admit that both predicted that the marriage would never take place. Both Joe and I knew that his parents would have preferred an Indian daughter-in-law. I also knew that my parents felt life would have been easier for me if I were married to an Australian, but they never asked me not to marry Joe. Joe and I married on June 6,1981, at St John's Anglican Church in Coffs Harbour. Three of Joe's family were in the wedding party. Joe's uncle, Teja Singh, who was at the time the priest of the second Sikh temple in Woolgoolga [Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara], spoke at our wedding about "the pair of us pulling together as one".

After the ceremony, we had a reception at the church hall. Joe's father told the people at the reception that he knew as the bank girl I had been looking after his money, but he did not realise I was looking after his son as well. We had a 9 am wedding ceremony, a morning tea reception and went on from there to the Catholic Club, the Woolgoolga Tavern, the Woolgoolga Bowling Club for dinner and fireworks with Joe's cousin -all of this still in our wedding clothes! We really did enjoy our wedding day to the full.

Two weeks after the Australian wedding we went to the temple for a Sikh blessing. My red-and-black silk sari for this ceremony was a gift from my Hindu Malay Indian girlfriend in Malaysia. I told her that while I wanted a sari, it had to be very tasteful and not look as if I were trying to imitate an Indian bride. I was very pleased with her choice for me. After this ceremony, we got to have a second honeymoon, as we took an Indian family back to Knockrow [near Lismore in northern NSW] and they asked us to stay a few days.

At this time Joe and I went to weddings and akhand paths when we were asked. I made myself some Indian outfits to wear to these. The first time I ever wore one many Indian ladies laughed at me, but one elderly lady stood up to them and rebuked them. She will never know how much that meant to me and how to this day she is held in high regard by my husband and myself.

Over the next four years, there was much gossip about Joe and me, but what most people did not realise was that all this did was bring us closer together and give us a lot of laughs. One lot of gossip was told to Joe's sister at school and that was that I was supposed to be having an affair with a chap who boarded at our house. Colleen's reply was: "Have you seen Elizabeth lately? The only person who thinks she is gorgeous is my brother, as she is six months pregnant with a big belly and the chap she is supposed to be having the affair with is working in Taree and living with his girlfriend." It was incredible what could be, and was, made up about Joe and me in the early years of our marriage.

Early in our marriage, it was raining one night and I came across an Indian man walking home in the rain. I stopped to give him a ride home. He did not at first wish to take the ride, as he was worried that my husband would object. A couple of weeks later this same gentleman approached my husband to make sure that my giving him a ride did not cause trouble. My husband assured him that he would have been upset if I had not given him a ride.

When I was working in the bank, most of the Indians I had contact with were from the First Sikh Temple, whereas I married into a family from the

second Sikh temple [Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara]. I had to show the Indian community that to me it did not (and never has) made any difference which temple they belonged to. To me, it is the people who count. I also realise that over the years I have been pointed out to the new Indians in the community as the white girl who married an Indian. And this continues to this day, with my now being introduced to the girls coming out to marry the sons of the people I went to school with. I think this is called "notoriety".

In these early years, my parents were also asked by many in the Australian community how we were and many were surprised that we were still together. I must say that both my mother and father's side of my family have readily accepted Joe and have shown him only love and acceptance, so much so that if he isn't with me, the first question from them is, "Where is Joe and why isn't he here?". Joe was also shown this [acceptance] only a couple of months before we became engaged, at a family reunion on my mother's side. He was surprised by strangers giving him a kiss and hug, then standing back and asking where he fitted into the family.

We have three children who all have Indian names: Kiran Ann, Kelly Ambar and Aron Ravi. All our children were born while my husband was a Sikh and so have been claimed by the community as their own. When Aron was a baby, I went to see about what had to be done to have a translation done into Punjabi on computer. The lady at the house did not know me and so was very cautious about my questions. That is until an elderly Indian lady who was visiting recognised me and intervened. She told the other lady that I was one of the Indian community and to give me any help I needed. Again, I was very touched by her words. This was the same lady who had stood up for me when I first wore an Indian outfit. I have since found out that Randhir's mother had told this other lady that she considered me family and to look out for me.

To know that I was not finally accepted into the Indian community until I had children. But it also had to do with seeing my husband through three back operations. These operations put him out of the workforce and on a pension. I got credit for the fact that I stuck around and didn't leave him, as I was expected to do when the going got tough. When our son was six weeks old my husband changed his religion to become a Christian. It was great to see that this made no difference to the Indian community, as my husband did not change as a person in any way to them.

For the first 16 years of our marriage we lived in Sandy Beach. This was lovely as we had the friendship of Sanita and Harry Atwal. In 1994, we travelled to Cairns and stayed with David Maffial and his family. David's wife, Bhupinder, took our children to the temple with her and was asked which Indian family they came from. They were surprised to find that I was the children's mother. I have to admit that in Western clothes my children look Western, but in Indian clothes they look completely Indian.

It was lovely for Joe to renew acquaintances with many people that he knew from when he lived up there. It was also great to renew the friendships with the Maffial family. It was terrific to be able to tease David about his words about Joe marrying an Indian and not me.

If you ask what Joe and I say is the secret to our happy marriage, we would have to say -friendship, good communication, laughter, LOVE and definitely determination. Thank you to all our friends in the Indian community; your friendship is cherished.

Community economics

Alan Wray

Alan is a horticulturist with the Banana Growers Federation, Coffs Harbour, and was assistant farm manager of Blueberry Farms of Australia from 1986 to 1994.

According to my recollections, the number of Indian banana growers peaked in the late seventies to early eighties when, partly as a result of a few cyclones over the years, the Punjabi people were able to buy a lot of plantations, especially in the Woolgoolga area. This buying spree continued until about 1986. A lot of the original Australian growers were getting older, and there was not a great deal of interest from their children in continuing with banana growing. Consequently, many opted to sell and this was good for the Indian people who were looking to expand their plantations. Moreover, it provided many of the newly arrived Indians with the opportunity to buy property and start farming.

Bananas are a funny crop to grow. When prices are good there is the potential to make a lot of money quickly. Conversely, when prices are bad over a sustained period you can deplete your savings just as quickly. Overall though, I think that the banana industry is very attractive to the Indian community as they have been able to ride out the bad times much better than many of their Australian counterparts. Without doubt, the extended family situation is the greatest single factor in the Indian farmers' success in the banana Industry. With wives, mothers, fathers and the kids all pitching in, they are able to continue farming profitably when the Australian growers are struggling with their need to employ labour to run their plantations. Quite a few of the Indian growers have been very successful and most appear to have fairly affluent lifestyles even by Australian standards.

Australian growers by and large have accepted the fact of a fairly large Indian population in what was once a town of predominantly white people. Like all communities, there are some people in the area who have ill feelings towards the Indian people, but I would put most of this down to jealousy or what we call the "tall poppy" syndrome. Most Australians recognise that the Indian people are hardworking and generally there is little resentment.

Large plantations of bananas were established in Far North Queensland in the late 1980s and especially in the early 1990s. This has had a significant effect on the supply of bananas in Australia and there are now large price fluctuations. Generally speaking, prices are often quite low for much of the year and this has put a considerable strain on the industry at all levels. The situation has become very serious in the local growing areas [in NSW]. Around (offs Harbour, in particular, quite a few growers have left the industry or sold their properties. The problem is that banana plantations are almost impossible to sell -even at very low prices -as no-one is willing to take the risks associated with banana farming in the current unstable market.

Even a few Indians have left the industry and gone to the city to find alternative employment. For those left here, alternative crops such as blueberries, avocadoes and greenhouse tomatoes are being considered. These are also fraught with risks as substantial capital is required to set them up and specialist knowledge needed to grow them. Nonetheless, there is a shift away from bananas to experimentation in other areas. Many Indians are seeking alternative supplementary employment away from their farms. Some are driving taxis part-time in (offs Harbour or picking seasonal fruit out of the area.

Many of the long-established growers may have off-farm investments which supplement their incomes to some degree. However, the long-term outlook for the NSW banana industry is not very promising. Many of the new generation Indians born here in Australia are not going to work in the bananas. Many are opting to go to university. The long-term effect that this will have on the Indian banana-growing industry and Woolgoolga is unknown.

A blueberry-growing operation was established by (offs Harbour-based Rob and Tony Johnson. The original development consisted of 67 individually owned farms managed by a nominated body. The Johnsons managed the farm until the owners decided to form their own management company. In the mid-1980s, Blueberry Farms of Australia (BFA) was formed, headed by Peter McPherson and Gary Wright. I started in October 1986 and spent the next eight years there as the assistant farm manager.

The blueberry farm has, I believe, been very important to the local Indian community. I think it was in about December 1988 that one Indian fellow approached us for picking work. He was one of the Arkan boys from Woolgoolga. I distinctly remember it, as we had not seen any Indians on the property before and it was a bit of a novelty for us. Not long after, the numbers of Indians picking there increased as more saw that there was good money to be made from picking and this was a good supplement to the ever-volatile banana income.

BFA has relied heavily on the Indian community as the backbone of its picking staff. There would be more than 200 Indian pickers at BFA in the peak harvest. They have always been reliable and fast pickers who work whenever requested. I would go so far as to say that without the Indian community BFA would not have been as successful as it is today.  

With the demise of bananas, some Indian families have planted blueberries themselves to supplement their incomes or as a first step to phasing out bananas. Blueberries are a very suitable crop for Indian people because with their extended family arrangements, they can pick and pack for very little cost. Also, they can obtain extra labour from other relatives and friends, knowing that they will be experienced and reliable.

There is no doubt that BFA is concerned about Indian people growing blueberries. Their concern is not over competition in the marketplace because BFA is far too big to be affected by the supplies that may emanate from the Indian growers.What they are concerned about is losing staff as Indians go to pick for other Indians. If the Indian blueberry growers were to establish larger farms and employ their own people, then this could have negative effects on BFA's business.

The Indian picking crews were mainly women to begin with, but as banana prices became more volatile, many men joined the ranks. What was astonishing was the fact that members of reportedly the most wealthy Indian families were also turning up to pick. The BFA staff were surprised that anybody would want, or need, to pick blueberries when they drove top-of-the-range LandCruisers and had many houses and lots of land.

The Indian women were particularly shy and spoke very little, if at all, to us. The men were shy as well but pretty easy to get along with. Occasionally, there was petty squabbling between white pickers and Indian pickers, so to rectify this the Indian crews were kept together. They appeared to prefer this anyway. On rare occasions there were arguments between Indians within crews, but these were usually sorted out quickly.

I remember fondly certain incidents that occurred and some of the things that the Indian fellows said. Something that never ceased to amaze us was the Indians' mortal fear of snakes. On occasion, when snakes were seen in blueberry blocks, all the Indian pickers would "sit out" of the block until one of us removed the snake.

One other thing that perplexed us was the Indian practice of arranged marriages. We cannot comprehend how anyone can marry someone that they have not met and spent a fair amount of time with. One Indian probably summed it up best by saying that the Indians here in Australia are more traditional than those back at home. They are continuing to live here as people lived in India when they left there so many years ago.

All in all, the Indian community is a very significant group in Woolgoolga and quite obviously has had a great impact on how Woolgoolga has grown in the past 30 years.

Peter McPherson

Peter has been general manager of Blueberry Farms of Australia since 1986 and talks here about the role of the local Punjabis in the blueberry farming success story.

Blueberry Farms of Australia (BFA) began production in the mid-1980s, having evolved as a tax-driven investment scheme promoted by one of Cofts Harbour's well-known entrepreneurial families, the Johnson group of companies. The early years of blueberry farming certainly involved a steep learning curve with respect to all sectors of the business, including establishment, production, harvesting and marketing. During this period there were more failures than successes because of the limited knowledge and experience that management had with blueberries as a crop and the extremely low consumer awareness of the blueberry as a product.

However, the managers, underpinned by the financial support of the initial investors, learned quickly from their early mistakes and went about building a strategic business plan to build up production, learn how to maximise fruit shelf life, develop a cool chain so as to get the fruit to the markets on time and, finally, to undertake a promotional and marketing campaign to raise consumer awareness of blueberries and their benefits.

As the business developed, and in particular in the peak harvest season, it was evident that labour resources were going to be a problem. We had encountered a large turnover of itinerant workers in the picking area as this is physically demanding work and entails putting up with inconsistent weather including hot summer conditions.

In the early days we had tackled this problem by bringing to the local area a number of groups including trainee students, backpackers etc with somewhat mixed success. In or around 1988 we were approached by a number of people from the local Indian community who were interested in having a go at picking and a decision was taken to give them a trial run. At that time, for some reason, there was some tension between the Indian community and the locals and this did initially cause some friction. This, however, was settled very quickly when it was made clear what the company's requirements were in regard to quality standards. After that, the number of Punjabis working at the farm increased substantially in a very short time.

The contribution of the Punjabi people can be considered as one of the keys to the success of the blueberry venture. The Punjabi women, in particular, both enjoy and have an aptitude for picking and packing activities and they are constantly leading the way in productivity, especially in the picking area. This aptitude may possibly be attributed to their background and experience in the banana industry. There are now a number of picking crews made up predominantly of Punjabi workers.

A number of other members of the Punjabi community have also played senior roles in other areas of the blueberry enterprise. The

relationship between the business and the Punjabis can best be described as a win/win situation. This is particularly so when one considers the economic rewards for the Punjabi workers that have gone some way to offsetting the losses most of the Punjabi community have experienced because of their reliance on bananas as their major source of income.

In addition to the above, the Punjabi people have also brought experience of a different culture to the farm, and it is not unusual to see a mix of workers, be that a picking crew and/or packing shed workers, sharing a feast of traditional Indian food. When one also considers members of the Filipino community and other nationalities who work here from time to time, one could describe the mix of people at the blueberry operation as a miniature league of nations, albeit a harmonious one.

As the banana industry has continued to decline, we now find that a number of the younger members of the Indian community have taken a decision to grow blueberries in their own right albeit in competition (in a small way) to BFA. One can understand this decision, given the poor banana years, the obviously successful role that the Punjabi community have played at BFA and the rapid rise in consumer demand for blueberries both domestically and in the export arena. It is, though, sincerely hoped that the blueberries grown will be picked and packed with the same quality levels applied as BFA has introduced and of which the Punjabi community are well aware.

In addition, it is to be hoped that the marketing of the blueberries will be carried out in a co-ordinated manner, either with the Punjabis working as a group or with BFA, utilising BFA marketing experience gained over the past 15 years.

This is imperative so as to maintain a strong strategic marketing plan for the future. There are obvious reasons, apart from the production increases in Far North Queensland, that explain why the local banana industry is in the poor state that it is, and much can be learned from this that can be applied to the blueberry industry.

Finally, it must be said that the Punjabi community have played a very positive role in the BFA success story and it is hoped that it will continue to do so in the development of the blueberry industry in years to come.

Alph Williams

Alph is a school teacher and has been a Coffs Harbour City Council councillor since 1991.

I arrived in Coffs Harbour in 1976 as a newly appointed school teacher at Orara High School. Originally from California, my youth was spent in a small farming community in the San Joaquin Valley and most of my adult life was

spent in San Francisco and the bay area completing my education and working. The small farming community and San Francisco were both rich in cultural and racial diversity.

Coffs Harbour was a fairly small place when I arrived, although even then it was growing rapidly. Orara High School was newly established and was one of the main feeder schools for Woolgoolga and the surrounding villages. This was my first encounter to any extent with Indian culture. Many of the students I taught in my early years at Orara were from Woolgoolga and were part of the Punjabi community. For the most part they adapted well in the school environment and still managed to retain the important aspects of their culture and customs. I still remember many of my Indian students with fondness and am delighted that so many of them have achieved and done so well.

Years later, after having spent a few years in Sydney and some time overseas, I returned to the Coffs area and took up residence in Emerald Beach. I became ardently interested in the environment and local politics. I felt strongly that there were qualities in the area that needed to be conserved and protected, because they were essential to the basic quality of life and the beauty of the area for those who lived there. I had seen many places in Australia and overseas where those qualities had been lost to the detriment of their communities.

Water conservation and effluent treatment were basic to this need to protect and conserve. I'd fought for a number of years to encourage the use of recycled water for agricultural purposes. I was elected to Coffs Harbour City Council in 1991 and found it difficult to promote the idea of water conservation and efficiency.

In 2000, I had taken a relief-teaching position at Woolgoolga High School. One day one of my Year 11 students, Gurshran Husna, told me that her father, Kirpal, wanted to speak with me. I called Kirpal, and he organised a delegation of the banana growers from the Condon Road area for a meeting at my house. Kirpal and the delegation were interested in accessing recycled water for their plantations. Many had diversified and were growing avocados and other crops, and they were very interested in a reliable supply of water that would increase their crop yield.

Working with Coffs Harbour City Council, we managed to put together a project that was capable of using all the recycled water produced in Woolgoolga and the Northern Beaches area. Along with the mayor, Jenny Bonfield, we lobbied the State Government for funds and now it looks as if the project is only a year or so away from implementation. This will be a boost to the local economy and will increase agricultural production.

The Indian community has been a primary influence in recognising the benefits of recycling water and getting this project up and running. It will be a benchmark for water conservation and water recycling in NSW and Australia.

In my 10 years as a member of the Coffs Harbour City Council, I've also had many dealings with Rashmere Bhatti, a tireless worker for both the Woolgoolga community as a whole and the Punjabi community. Rashmere has done excellent work as a cultural link in the Woolgoolga area. Her work, and the work of others, shows what can be achieved in the creation of harmony in a multicultural Australia.

I've also come to know Rashmere's brother, John Arkan, over the years. John is working at Toormina High School where he is a much liked and appreciated member of staff. John has been instrumental in explaining much of the Sikh religion and culture to me, and keeps me regularly informed of events and issues in the Indian community.

As a councillor and a member of the community since 1976, I, along with many others, have recognised the enrichment and diversity that the Indian community has brought to our area.

Multicultural education

John Ward

John has been principal of Woolgoolga High School since 1998.

From my perspective as principal of Woolgoolga High School, I must say that the past few years have seen a remarkable transition in relationships between Sikh and non-Sikh students. In 1999, the school launched Vision '99 -a full-scale effort at improving relationships between the two groups and promoting understanding and tolerance within the school community. A range of multicultural activities sawall students actively involved in discussion groups, food fests, dances and games. We established a model by which we now measure levels of respect, acceptance and harmony within the school and have since followed up with similar activities in which all students have been involved.

Prior to Vision '99, there were tensions and the occasional conflict between Australian and Sikh students. I am proud of our school in that since 1999 there have been no reported race-based incidents within the school. Sikh students interact freely with other students in both class and sporting situations. It must be acknowledged that Sikh students naturally group together at recess and lunchtime, but the school does not see this as a problem.

Academically, Sikh students have performed as well as Australian students. Indeed the dux of Year 12 in 2000 was a Sikh student. In sport, Sikh boys especially are actively involved, having a special interest in touch football.

Kirrin Singh

Kirrin was a Year 6 student at Woolgoolga Primary School in 2000.

My name is Kirrin Singh, and I'm Australian Indian. I was born in a lovely part of Australia, where I have a good home with my lovely family. Australians have plenty of food and clothes, and for lots of reasons I believe I am lucky to be Australian.

Australia has never had a war on its shores, although our soldiers have fought overseas. This is unlike East Timor which has just had a terrible war.

We Australians have independence. We can choose the people we want to put into Parliament. We have voting days where we vote for the political party we want to put in power. In any decision that is made, people help decide. The members of parliament can't just do what they want. We have to have our say as well.

Australia has some of the best medical facilities (e.g. optical, dental, hospital and nursing care) in the world. Every local town has its own chemist and doctor. Australia has a number of cancer clinics that lead the world in cancer research.

The best thing about Australia is that we are a multicultural nation. Multiculturalism to me means that we are not all the same colour and are from different countries from all over the world. The school that I go to has children from many different countries. The school that I go to has children from different cultural backgrounds. The types of people that go to my school are white Australians, Aboriginals, Indians, New Zealanders, Fijians, Torres Strait Islanders, Tongans and Asians.

In Australia we also have different types of foods to choose from. We don't just eat the one type of food, we eat all sorts of foods. We can also wear all sorts of clothes from around the world.

I think I am very lucky to be an Aussie and to live in Australia. I hope this lovely country of ours never ever has any major changes, because I like it the way it is.

Sophie Crooks

Sophie is a Year 6 student at Woolgooiga Primary School.

I've never really thought about how lucky I am to go to a school where there are two very different cultures. I have the opportunity to get to know and understand the Punjabi culture as well as my own. To me, that makes our school fun and lots more interesting than other schools.

There are a lot of differences between the two cultures. For a start there are differences in music, language, religion, beliefs, lifestyle, family structure, food and many other things. At our school we are able to learn

about these differences and experience them with our friends. We celebrate the festivals, learn the language, listen to the music and enjoy the food. We come to understand and accept these differences and become friends.

I have quite a few Punjabi friends -Saania, Jasmina and Melissa -and I don't even think of the differences because we have been together since Year 1. We are good friends and always sit together. I look forward to the Punjabi festivals we have at school. It is interesting and amazing to see the customs, costumes, dances, music, crafts and to taste the food. It makes me want to travel to other countries when I grow up and to meet people from different cultures.

I want to learn about their people. When you grow up with other cultures, you learn to respect them and to appreciate the differences. If all children had these opportunities, then perhaps when they grew up there would not be prejudice or wars.

Jaskiran Sidhu and Emily Brooks

Jaskiran and Emily are Year 6 students at Woolgooga Primary School.

Here at Woolgooga Primary School there are many different cultures. There are lots of different people such as Punjabi Sikhs, Torres Strait Islanders, Aboriginals and last, but not least, the Aussies.

The language that we speak can be very difficult to understand at times. When some children call other children names in a different language it can be very hurtful. For example, sometimes Punjabi people are called "curry munchers" because they eat curry. Some of the Aussies and Aboriginals are called Punjabi swear words. But that rarely happens because we get along very well.

Our school has two terrific Punjabi teachers who teach us the Punjabi language and culture. We learn about festivals, and our favourite festival is Holi. In Holi, they throw coloured powder and they also have special paints in special guns.

It is good to be friends with people from other cultures in spite of our differences. For instance different nationalities have different coloured skins. The Punjabis have very dark skin compared with the Aussies and their hair is mostly brown or black. The Punjabi people have unique names. For example, some girls' names are Jaskiran, Jasmina and Saania and some boys' names are Gurjot, Akash and Manvir. The Punjabis eat different foods such as curry and jelabies. The weird thing is that Indians don't eat meat. Sometimes some of them eat chicken, but most of the time they just eat vegies.

We often read about the value of everyone in Indian and Aussie books. We read about it because everybody would like us to get along and so far it's working.

Joanne Collier

Joanne is a Year 11 student at Woolgoolga High School.

I do not believe that Woolgoolga is a very good model for multiculturalism in the way it relates to the Punjabi community. Although things have improved and continue to do so very slowly, generally the two cultures don't mix.

However, schools are now being taught about multiculturalism and it is gradually spreading through the community. Australians and Sikhs are gradually coming together as one community, although I think that it is not yet obvious. The two cultures are very rarely seen participating in social events together. They have their own separate communities within Woolgoolga.

In the Australian sporting clubs (surf club, triathlon club) it is very rare to see Punjabi members. But, on the other hand, Punjabis have their own activities that Australians don't take part in, such as the Sikh youth camp and Baisakhi festival parade. Although this lack of mixing is the case in the community, it's not so in the schools. Sikh students are often seen mixing with Australian students. This is where multiculturalism begins. It is taught in schools, and students introduce it to the community. This is how the two cultures are gradually coming together. School students, who are now being taught in primary school about the Punjabi traditions and culture, will spread multiculturalism through the community.

Despite this, the two cultures can only come together as one community to a certain extent. Each culture has its own beliefs and traditions which are very different from one another. It is not expected that either culture will change their beliefs or traditions in order for the community to unite completely, as this is not the aim of multiculturalism. Each culture just needs to learn about and respect the other.

Meena Singh

Meena is a Year 11 student at Woolgoolga High School.

I feel that growing up in Woolgoolga has meant that I have had a traditional [Punjabi] cultural, yet Western, childhood. As a Punjabi student, I believe that multiculturalism is not being practised at Woolgoolga High School. In the community, although Punjabis are accepted, no real interest is taken in why or how we have kept our culture alive. For example, the Sikh community takes pride in parading through the streets of Woolgoolga once a year celebrating Baisakhi. But does the Woolgoolga community understand what we're doing? Sure, they'll stand at their front doors and look at what is happening, but the majority of them have no idea what significance this event has for the Sikh community.

A lot of teachers and school students ask why the Indians always sit

together. It really annoys me when we're all grouped as Indians. We are born in Australia just like them, so we are no different. It just goes to show how ignorant some people really are. But why wouldn't we sit together? Friends are people who can relate to each other, talk about their problems and usually socialise outside of school. And that's exactly what we are -friends.

On the whole, I would say Woolgoolga sometimes reflects racist opinions. There are a lot of ignorant people out there who aren't willing to understand. Concerning the cultural side of things, growing up in a tightknit community has taught me to live in a society with my culture and tradition, but I have also learnt how to negotiate between the Western and Punjabi worlds. I now have purpose to life, understand why I am here and what I should be doing. Although I don't practise the five Ks, it is one of my goals in life to do so. However, if I had grown up in the city, I don't believe this could have been achieved.

As far as marriage is concerned, I am a firm believer in arranged marriages. However, they shouldn't be as strict as in past generations. The couple should get to know each other, and the final say should be theirs. A lot of Punjabis go to India to get married; and, although it isn't wrong, it's not exactly fair either. Because Australian-born Punjabis have different views, morals and goals in life compared with those living in India, marrying the two together causes a major culture clash.

I still have one year left at Woolgoolga High School, and at the end of Year 12 I wish to attend university. However, the course I wish to pursue is not offered in the area. This means I will have to move away from my family, which I am definitely not looking forward to. Leaving Woolgoolga to study means leaving behind my friends, family and not being involved in cultural events such as attending gurdwara and so on. I enjoy attending gurdwara because not only do you get to meet your friends and other members of the community but also, most importantly, you learn about the history and practices of the Sikh religion.

The younger generation of the Punjabi community in Woolgoolga, I feel, is drifting away from the culture, religion and traditions. Being more like the Western world seems to be much more important to them. Parents have an obligation to teach their children about their religion. And in today's Punjabi society, there is very little of this, which in turn, I believe, will eventually result in the extinction of Punjabi culture and religion.

Karly Taylor and Saania Dosanjh

Karly and Saania are Year 6 students at Woolgoolga Primary School.

Here at Woolgoolga Public School, we are all accepted for who we are and not for our appearance or culture. For example, I have three best friends,

Saania and Jasmina, who are Indians, and Sally, who is Australian. But that doesn't make any difference. For example, Saania is a student councillor, and even though she is the only Indian on the student council we all get along with each other. Another thing about our multicultural school is all the different names there are, e.g. Saania and Jasmina's names are different from the usual names we hear.

We also learn Punjabi and go to the temple on occasions. While we are at the temple, as a special treat, we often get to eat some jelabies, which are Indian sweets.

The religion of the Sikhs is unique. For example, the Sikhs have a range of celebrations and beliefs. A part of their culture is that most males grow their hair and wear turbans and some of the women wear traditional outfits that suit their appearance.

Sikh religion

Joginder Singh

Joginder is an Amrit-dhari Sikh son of the village.

The Sikh community in Woolgoolga is unique in many ways. It is the largest community in Australia outside the metropolitan areas. The first settlers were mainly farmers from the Punjab area of India. In the Punjab, farmers mostly live in the village rather than on their farms. Each morning they go to tend their crops in the fields, which are mostly within walking distance.

In many respects Woolgoolga is very similar to a village in the Punjab. Most Punjabi inhabitants of Woolgoolga are banana farmers, and nearly all live in the township and travel each day to work their banana plantations, which surround Woolgoolga. Woolgoolga contains two Sikh gurdwaras and a Punjabi school. Most traditional festivals are celebrated. All of the womenfolk still wear traditional Punjabi clothing, as do some of the men. Nearly everyone is fluent in Punjabi, the mother tongue. Most of the marriages are arranged, as is traditional. The members of the community are very close-knit and supportive in times of need. The two gurdwaras are the first two to be built in Australia. They have played a very important role in the retention of the culture and religion of the community.

Sikhism is a relatively modern religion. Its founder, Guru Nanak, born in 1469 AD on the Indian subcontinent into a Hindu family, was a dynamic reformer of culture and religion. The society in those days was deeply divided by the caste system with the lower castes being exploited by the higher castes. The priest caste did not allow any of the lower castes to perform religious ceremonies or learn the scriptures. Religion was

monopolised by these priests, who manipulated the masses by playing on their fears and superstitions to extract money and other material goods for performing rituals. The vast majority of these people were ignorant of true spirituality, and there was a multitude of gods and goddesses to appease. Add to this the cruelty of the invading Muslim rulers, who were actively converting the "non-believers" by torture and special taxes. This dense fog of falsehood, superstition and exploitation dissipated when Guru Nanak appeared on the scene and preached his message of one, loving, allpervading God, equality of all regardless of caste, colour or religion and equality of the sexes. His simple message to mankind was to meditate on the Lord's Name, work honestly and help the needy. Guru Nanak gave back to the masses their right to practise religion and experience spirituality. Whereas before only the priest caste could perform religious ceremonies, now people of all different backgrounds and castes gathered together to sing hymns, have religious discussion, meditate and grow spiritually.

I was 12 years old when the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara was first opened. Prior to this, my only knowledge of Sikhism had come from my mother, who used to tell us bedtime stories of the Gurus and the Sikh martyrs. Every Sunday we went to the gurdwara to listen to kirtan and lectures on the lives of the Gurus and martyrs. All of the service was conducted in Punjabi. We were never allowed to play outside. We may not have understood much, but still we sat through the service. It is a sad fact that these days parents do not discipline their kids to sit inside. Initially, nearly everyone used to attend the Sunday service. Gradually, as the community grew, there was less regularity in attendance, for a number of reasons:

1. Recent arrivals from the Punjab were not used to attending gurdwara weekly, whereas for us it had become the thing to do on Sundays. If by chance we did not attend gurdwara, we felt like there was something missing in our Sunday. Newcomers also felt that they had to work harder to catch up with the early settlers and thus worked on Sundays.

2. Teenagers are getting more and more Westernised and removed from the gurdwara, often using the excuse that they don't understand anything or are playing weekend sport.

3. There are more functions such as weddings and akhand paths that take place at the gurdwara on Saturdays, usually a working day for the community, thus many work on Sundays rather than attend the gurdwara service.

4. Punjabis have recently become involved in blueberry picking, and from August to December picking is carried out on Sundays.

Over the years there has been a gradual eroding of the true Sikh values. Guru Nanak gave religion back to the common man so that everyone could have the opportunity to grow spiritually towards God with a hands-on, do-it-yourself approach. But for the past couple of generations a very dangerous trend has emerged in some Sikh communities where it is thought that only the granthi Singhs have to know gurbani and kirtan and that the common man does not have to read gurbani or do kirtan but can pay someone to perform such ceremonies as the akhand path, kirtan or hymn singing, thus fulfilling one's religious obligations. This, unfortunately, had the effect of creating a sort of "priest class". The very important aspect of Sikhism had been forgotten -that you have to actually read or hear and understand the gurbani yourself and you have to meditate on the Name yourself to benefit from it; someone else cannot do it for you. The very practice and comprehension of the concept of nam simaran or meditation has been lost by most of the congregation even though it is preached in gurdwaras every Sunday and in almost every hymn. This leads one to conclude that the gurbani is not being properly understood by the masses and so it cannot be put into practice. Most people you ask, including Amrit-dharis, think that nam simaran is merely reading the gurbani. The priorities of modern society are topsy-turvy, with low priority given to daily reading and understanding of gurbani. The Sunday service is structured so that there is mostly hymn singing and very little in-depth explanation and discussion of the hymns, let alone any discussion on meditation methods and practices. As a result, people, particularly the youth, go home empty of any thought of the Guru. So, with all this in mind, night-time meditation classes were started by a group of local Sikh youths to kick-start the thought-provoking exercise and also to give the community, especially the youth, hands-on experience of meditation. The classes were also intended to help people realise that the Sikh scriptures are amongst the world's best teachings on life and that meditation is a great source of happiness, contentment and spiritual experience and the medicine for all our diseases of the body and mind. The beneficial effects of meditation are being studied and proved in trials conducted in universities all over the world. In one such trial it was found that during meditation the part of the brain that identifies the self as being a different entity from the rest of the world ceases to function, i.e. the egocentric part is eliminated. In another study it was found that meditation had a beneficial effect on migraines and cancer. What the Gurus told us centuries ago is being proved by scientists today. Nowadays these meditation classes have begun to include women and children of all ages and discussion is in both Punjabi and English. A few people from outside the Sikh community also attend the meditation classes, adding to community awareness and bonding.

A kirtan-teaching night was also started for adults at the First Sikh Temple to give kirtan back to the masses, so that it was not looked upon as only the domain of the granthis and ragis. There is also the growing problem of kids coming to gurdwara on Sundays and complaining that they do not understand anything. Due to relaxed discipline on the part of parents, they are allowed to go and play outside. If this keeps up, the youth will eventually stop coming to gurdwara because they have not developed a sense of pride in their religion and culture. To rectify this problem, there is now more English content in the Sunday service at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, and religious classes in English are conducted for the kids in the classrooms downstairs while the service is going on upstairs. Whereas before the kids would just play outside and gain very little knowledge of the Sikh religion, it is hoped that with these classes they will develop a sense of pride in their religion and also a sense of belonging and affinity to the gurdwara.

Because language is a very important part of any culture and religion, the kids are also encouraged to attend Punjabi language classes on Sunday after the service so that they can start to read the Sikh scriptures in Punjabi. The children of today will be the community of tomorrow, and they will be responsible for running the gurdwaras. It is essential that they keep attached to the gurdwara so that they can grow and learn of the noble ideals of Guru Nanak and his successors and so they can help preserve the great traditions of Sikhism and the authenticity of one of the world's great scriptures. The Guru Granth Sahib was meant not only for Sikhs but for all of mankind. Mankind is now on the verge of a new spiritual evolution and awakening and in this Sikhism will playa very important role.

Because most people in the local Punjabi community are not practising Sikhs or Amrit-dharis, they do not make the effort to look into the meaning of the scriptures and thus the message of equality is also getting lost. When Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa he abolished all differences of caste, colour, backgrounds and surnames. But because some people are Punjabis and not practising Sikhs, all these differences are slowly creeping back in. This must be checked now because it has the ability to harm Sikhism. Hopefully the younger generation here will completely forget about these old differences.

In the future I hope that wide electronic screens can be placed in the gurdwara to help people understand the hymn being sung. Computers should be installed in the classrooms as a tool for learning about Sikhism. Maybe a gymnasium or sports club can be started that is affiliated with the gurdwara. A kirtan night has started recently.

The langar is a very important and unique part of Sikhism, but sometimes it is felt that we should strive to be a little less lavish and to establish a langar in a Third-World country where there is greater need. A free medical dispensary or hospital could also be set up. Then we would be truly fulfilling our Guru's mission of worship, work and selfless service for the needy.

Harcharan Singh

Harcharan, a visiting Amrit-dhari Sikh, talks here about the Sikh celebrations in Woolgoolga in April 2001. Harcharan was a senior analyst with the Indian Central Government Service and has a keen interest in, and devotion to, Sikhism.

Biodiversity is the law of nature, while cultural diversity is a law of our nation. Sikh migrants coming from thousands of kilometres away have put Woolgoolga on the world map for banana production. The recent celebrations of the Sikh community's foundation day once again generated interest in their religion and history.

Seven farmer families from a small place in the Punjab migrated to Australia around 1899 or 1900. Now there are many Sikh families here, most of whom still live their traditional village-style life. They generally speak Punjabi among themselves, wear distinctive dress, maintain their food habits and worship in their church called the gurdwara or Sikh temple. They have built a spacious prayer hall together with a big free kitchen (which is an essential feature of their worship place). This white building, called Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, is situated on a hill on the Pacific Highway. It is an impressive landmark. No-one can miss it and no-one can pass by it without making inquiries.

The Sikhs have a national birthday on a day called Baisakhi, which usually falls near Easter (about April 13). Their last Guru, namely Guru Gobind Singh, administered mass baptism on Baisakhi Day in 1699. This day is accordingly marked by religious prayers, community hymn singing, festivities, displays of martial art etc. When the customary yellow cloth of the religious flag is ceremoniously replaced, the congregation keeps on singing religious couplets. This day has another significance. In their native land, the farmers start the harvesting of their ripened wheat crop on this day. It is therefore a day of festivity on two counts. In the evenings, some perform folk dances, particularly the world-famous number called bhangra.

This year, the Woolgoolga Sikhs invited others from Sydney, the Gold Coast, Brisbane etc. The programs were so attractive that there were nearly 100 outsiders including two people from as far as Melbourne. During informal talks with the visitors, one person said that his visit was in the nature of a pilgrimage. He felt that Woolgoolga is no less than a holy place where so many good Sikhs have been living for a hundred years. Nobility of sentiment, both in the local Sikhs and outsiders, added to the religious fervour, making it a rare experience.

No less encouraging was the participation of some non-Sikh Australians from Woolgoolga. They were found listening attentively to the devotional music and lectures. Quite a few took the traditional Punjabi food from the langar. They followed the Sikh custom. All persons (except the aged, sick or disabled), whatever their social status, sit on carpets to take food. It was reported that Akbar the Great, the Mughal emperor of India, also sat on the floor along with commoners when he came to visit the third Guru.. It was gratifying to learn that some people of European origin visit this place.

This year, a little demonstration of traditional martial art, called gatka, was also arranged. This was a big attraction for young and old, largely because many had never seen it before. A demonstration of mock fights by boys and girls encouraged many to try their hands in handling the sticks/weapons. In fact, the rain could not contain the enthusiasm of both Sikh and non-Sikh alike. A very important feature of this year's celebration was the organisation of a children's camp to provide basic instruction in religion and Sikh history. Short notes were given to each participant. These notes contained drawings/visuals to facilitate easy understanding of the subjects. In addition, some slides were shown. A test conducted at the end of the classes showed that the children had a good grasp of the subjects. Trophies were awarded to remind them of the lessons learned at the camp.

More than a hundred children attended the camp. The local children freely mixed with outsiders (an experience in itself). The children were divided into four age groups and eight teachers took classes. Question-andanswer sessions were very lively and indicated the extent to which the students had understood the instruction given to them. The medium of instruction was their mother tongue, Punjabi, and also English.

A brief program was also run for adults, both morning and evening, where participants were encouraged to ask questions on any subject. The philosophy of the organisers was that the outcomes for the kids would be better if the elders knew what they had been taught, to remove any doubts they might have about the instruction.

Special lectures were also arranged for the ladies. In the current situation and in times to come, they have a bigger responsibility than their mothers had. They are now expected to earn as well run their houses. But the fact remains that they still continue to playa dominant role in shaping the lives of their children and husbands. They need to prepare and equip themselves with inner strength to face weaknesses that arise within and the storms of cross-cultural tensions that may affect their morale.

The glorious role played by women in Sikh history was recalled. A lady was requested to give an example. When she started, it became almost impossible to hold back tears of admiration and respect. The story she told was of babies thrown into the air and caught on spears. They were cut to pieces before their mothers' eyes and garlands of their intestines, flesh or body pieces were put around the mothers' necks, and yet they bore all this calmly. Truly, the future of any nation lies in the hands of its women.

The camp was a great success. The elders were satisfied that they could do something solid and more than what is routine. Young parents were happy that their children learnt at least the basics of the religion for which they

had previously had little time. The middle-aged felt refreshed and enriched by the question-and-answer sessions" The children were on top of the world at enjoying their Easter holidays in the company of friends from Sydney and elsewhere and simultaneously learning new religious stories. Everywhere, there was a common thought about when the next camp should be, and whether it could be made a yearly event, or even a six-monthly one.

Civic life and community organisations

Louise Robinson

As co-ordinator of the Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre in 1994, Louise identified the need for a neighbourhood centre in Woolgoolga and was heavily involved in its establishment.

For years, as I travelled up to the North Coast from Sydney, I noticed the graceful shape of the white temple on the hill at Woolgoolga. I never suspected that for me the town of Woolgoolga would become an important and precious part of my life. However, in 1991, I came to live at Red Rock and Woolgoolga was my nearest town.

While still living at Red Rock, I took up a position as co-ordinator of the Coffs Harbour Neighbour Centre, and gradually became aware of the unique population of Woolgoolga. I noticed the man, or sometimes men, in white, sitting on a bench, all day it seemed to me, as a presence in the town. I noticed the little boys with their topknots, the colourful saris of the women, the young girls with brown, skinny legs and bright smiles. The languages I heard were very different.

As I continued working in Cofts Harbour, I began to realise how good it would be for Woolgoolga to have its own neighbourhood centre to assist its diverse population. I could see this centre as having the following roles: to look at the particular needs of the people in the community and find funding to help them; to provide a centre for information; and most importantly, to be a place where anyone with a problem or query could find help. In short, a neighbourhood centre would benefit the entire community.

It was at this time that I met Rashmere Bhatti. Rashmere had come to work as a volunteer at the neighbourhood centre in Coffs Harbour. She showed me an article she was writing about living between two cultures, and I read this with great interest. I was invited to meet her family and remember well the warmth and the hospitality I received as I shared my dream of starting a neighbourhood centre in Woolgoolga.

The next step was to speak to Coffs Harbour Council, where I was given the name of Marnie Yeates [a local Woolgoolga identity], who was very

supportive. I was invited to attend a meeting of the Woolgoolga Community Centre committee by John Essex-Clark [a former Coffs Harbour City councillor]. A public meeting was called to suggest the idea of a neighbourhood centre to the community of Woolgoolga. There was strong support and a working party was formed.

With small amounts of funding from the Government and with the use of the Jobstart program, we realised our dream and opened a neighbourhood centre in a house in Trafalgar Street, Woolgoolga. What a wonderful day that was.

Rashmere was appointed as a part-time trainee co-ordinator and the work started: language classes, a translation service, before-and afterschool care. Most importantly, a centre of caring for the whole community was opened with much joy and hope for its success.

The neighbourhood centre has grown and flourished since then. It has been, I believe, a great influence in bringing the disparate voices of the community together. It is now housed in a beautiful building right near the centre of town and has become a source of pride for the whole community. I too am proud to have been associated with it and with those people who joined in the vision and put in the hard work and effort to make it a reality.

Vicki St Lawrence

Vicki is a human services management consultant who was the regional co-ordinator of the North Coast Area Assistance Scheme from 1991 to 1996.

In 1991 the NSW State Government established the North Coast Area Assistance Scheme (NCAAS). It is a regional social development program attached to the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning and targets rapidly growing regions.

The funding for the position of co-ordinator of the Woolgoolga Neighbourhood Centre was provided by the NCAAS. The appointment of Rashmere Bhatti to the position provided a unique opportunity for multiculturalism to be practiced.

The initial role of the neighbourhood centre was to provide an information, referral and social welfare service for the whole of the Woolgoolga community. But the reality is that minority groups generally do not use mainstream services and access is only achieved by appointing specialist workers. By appointing a member of the Punjabi community to the position of co-ordinator, the management committee demonstrated to the whole community that it was practicing the policy of equal employment opportunity. This in turn encouraged the Punjabi community to use the centre as members recognised that it was an inclusive, multicultural environment.

The Woolgoolga Neighbourhood Centre is a wonderful example of the theory of multiculturalism being put into practice. The Punjabi community has been involved from its commencement, and the community leaders from both the Punjabi and non-Punjabi sectors who were members of the management committee should be congratulated for the embracing of multicultural principles.

Don Bulloch

Don was secretary manager of the Woolgoolga Bowling Club from 1989 to 1996 and talks here about his relationship with the local Punjabis while he held this position.

I arrived in Woolgoolga early in 1989 to work as secretary manager of the Woolgoolga Bowling Club Ltd, a position I held for nine years. I was made welcome by club members and renewed acquaintance with Sam Singh whom I had known in bowling circles for many years. Sam, as well as being a prominent bowler, served on both the men's bowling club board and the Bowling Club Ltd board of directors. To this day he is one of the oldest serving members of the club.

One member, Mick Hundle, went out of his way to ensure my acceptance in the club, especially with the Indian members. Until my association with Mick, I had not fully understood the importance of the Indian community in Woolgoolga. In my position as secretary manager, I always stressed the importance of the community as a whole to the club. Bowling, naturally, was paramount to the club's activities and the bowling fraternity, but the club was also important to the social structure of the town and the Indian townsfolk were an integral part of this community.

Over the years, in my dealings with the Sikh members I found them to be friendly and generous socially but hard bargainers in matters of business. They naturally tended to socialise with one another and this was very apparent in times of celebration, especially if it was raining. Many were the times that these celebrations adjourned to the club's BBQ area and continued unabated well into the night. On the odd occasion when I had to question their conduct in the club, the matter was always sorted out amicably with Mick Hundle, Harbans Gill and Dave Sidhu being of considerable influence.

Although there were early Indian members of the club such as Narranjan More, Luke Arkan and Monga Singh in the early fifties, it was up to Sam Singh who joined in 1970 to become the first Indian to bowl at the club. The Indian community can be proud of the fact that in the year 2000 they produced the NSW State men's singles bowling champion in one Michael Singh. Michael was coached at junior level at the club, progressed through the ranks and his attitude and learning ability, along with natural aptitude, has made him someone for Woolgoolga to be proud of.

My ties with the Sikh members strengthened when in 1992 I was able to

acquire club sponsorship for the Punjabi Cultural Association tug-o-war team. This sponsorship helped the team win the tug-o-war contest at the Australian Sikh Games in Brisbane in the same year. This sponsorship has carried on at different levels, bringing the team wins in Melbourne 1993, Sydney 1994, Woolgoolga 1995, Perth 1996, Brisbane 1998, Sydney 1999 and Adelaide 2000. Perhaps the Games held in Woolgoolga were the most memorable as the rain played havoc with contestants, making it extremely difficult for them to hold their ground and pull effectively.

Whilst attending a wedding at the invitation of Mick Hundle at the Catholic Club in Coffs Harbour, he and I talked of the need for a large reception hall in Woolgoolga. This came to fruition in 1994 with the extensions to the bowling club enabling us to cater for up to 500 guests. The first Indian wedding in the new auditorium took place when Mick Hundle's daughter, Louise, was married and the club was able to hold the reception. Many Indian weddings have been held over the years since, plus cultural evenings with song and dance. These celebrations were magnificent spectacles with the national dress in all its splendour on display.

On another occasion the Indian community was able to host a luncheon at the club for the then governor-general Bill Hayden. This demonstrates the influence the Sikhs have in Woolgoolga and shows their importance and standing in the town. I have only happy memories of my involvement with Indian members during my time at the club and I am sure their presence has enriched the club and helped it progress.

Satwinder Kaur Dhadlie

Satwinder is a new bride from the Punjab and a student in the Woolgoolga Neighbourhood Centre literacy classes.

I was born in India and after I got married I came to Australia. It was a big change for me because Indian culture is very different from Australian culture.

My first few days in Australia were very difficult because I had travelled so far away and I missed my family. I could not speak much English and had a little bit of a problem understanding people because they talked so quickly. My first impression was that it was going to be very difficult for me to live here because everything was so strange. My husband, Jag, helped me to get my driver's licence and he always supports and encourages me to do things and to study.

For the first few days I only spoke with my husband, his relatives and some of my relatives who already lived here. During the first week a lot of the people from the local Indian community came to visit me and to welcome me to Australia. Then, after a month, I started English classes at the Woolgoolga Neighbourhood Centre. At English classes I met some

Australian people from different backgrounds and learned a lot about Australian culture.

At first I only celebrated Indian holidays and festivals while my husband celebrated Australian festivals. Now we have both changed, and we celebrate Australian and Indian religious festivals and holidays. This has been good for both of us. Now I can enjoy Christmas and Easter, and my husband enjoys Baisakhi and Diwali and the many other festivals.

When I lived in India I did not have to worry about work or money. Now I live in Australia I have to work very hard. There is a lot of pressure to make money and to have a career. I like to work because then I do not have to depend on other people for money. Australia is a good country, because the Government looks after its citizens and if they cannot work they are paid social security. The Government helps people to find work and to get a good education. So in Australia there are lots of opportunities for people to live a good life, but in India it is much more difficult. In Australia young people can achieve their dreams if they work hard.

I think everyone in Australia is treated the same even if they are poor. In India, the rich people do not have to obey the laws as they can bribe the police officers or politicians. Money is very important in India, but laws are not very important. For example, there are no lines marked on the roads, and if there is an accident in India most people don't stop because they fear the police. In Australia, help usually arrives very quickly and the person is taken to the hospital straightaway. The roads in India are bad and they are not repaired very often because the Government members don't care and take the taxes for themselves.

There are a lot of things I like about Australia, such as how clean it is here. In India the electricity used to go off all the time and it took hours to come back on. This usually happened twice a day and sometimes it would not come back on for days. There is only one telephone line, and whenever I telephone my mum the line is always busy. Sometimes I have to keep trying for hours before I can get through. In Australia I can normally get through first go, and if no-one is home I can leave a message on his or her answering machine. There are so many things that are taken for granted in Australia such as clean water, gas, telephone and electricity. I would like to see improvements made in these areas in India.

In India, all my relatives and friends live very close to each other and we all help one another in times of hardship. I find that in Australia people keep to themselves more and are more worried about themselves. I am very proud of India's history and I love reading about the Gurus and the moguls who lived there. India is a very old country and I love reading about how the country has changed over the years. The republic of India gained independence from Britain in 1947. India was a very powerful country, and I dream that one day it will again be like it was in the old days.

Looking ahead

Dr Amarjit Singh More

Amarjit is a local doctor and son of the village.

Woolgoolga's Punjabi Sikh community is unique among Punjabi Sikh communities in the diaspora. Over the more than 50 years of its existence, it has integrated with but not assimilated into the mainstream Woolgoolga community. It has maintained and preserved its Punjabi lifestyle, culture and language in the manner of a rustic Punjabi village. There are two main reasons for this -the nature of chain migration to Woolgoolga and the topography of the area.

There are other communities throughout the world with migrants from the identical source region of the Punjab, but these have not maintained or preserved their rustic lifestyle to the same extent. The Punjabi communities in Hamilton, New Zealand, and the Yuba City, US, come from the same roots, but their village Punjabi characters have been in some way diluted. In Yuba City, for example, even though it is also an agricultural community, the community has grown so large in recent years by virtue of mass migration that it no longer retains the intimacy of the village lifestyle. Hamilton, because of its isolation, has had less interaction over the years with the Punjab, resulting in greater assimilation into New Zealand society.

There are also other Punjabi Sikh communities in Australia with migrants from the same source and settled at approximately the same time as Woolgoolga. But these communities -in Murwillumbah and Lismore in northern NSW and Gordonvale in northern Queensland -have also drifted somewhat from the traditional Punjabi-village lifestyle. If one looks at a map of Australia, the Great Dividing Range meets the coast near the Woolgoolga-Coffs Harbour area. Therefore, bananas are grown on the hills in close proximity to the villages on the shoreline. This has enabled the Punjabi Sikh migrants to run their banana plantations while residing in the township. As a consequence, Woolgoolga developed into a small, very intimate community. In fact, in the early 1960s, the community was more like a large extended family. The families often met each other, such as gathering at Christmas time to celebrate together. Since the 1960s, Punjabi Sikhs in Woolgoolga have had the benefit of the continued infusion from the Punjab of spouses and other migrants through family reunion. This has helped maintain the Punjabi character of the community.

(In the traditional Punjabi village, the menfolk leave the house before sunrise to tend their fields and the womenfolk take shahwela (smoko) to the fields in mid-morning. And this traditional practice continues to this day in Woolgoolga, where the men go to the banana plantations in the morning and women bring the shahwela to them by car.)

With the new wave of migrant spouses and independent migrants, the community increased in size. And this led to the building of two gurdwaras in Woolgoolga. This further assisted in maintaining and preserving the culture, religion and Punjabi lifestyle in Woolgoolga.

In contrast, the migrants in Murwillumbah lived on isolated farms. As a consequence, they interacted with each other only once a week on their shopping expeditions to the township. Similarly, the migrants in Gordonvale lived on cane farms and failed to form a small and intimate community. Therefore, the migrants tended to become more assimilated into the mainstream community and lost their language and culture. Only recently, in the 1990s, with the arrival of fresh migrants from the Punjab, has there been some rejuvenation of Punjabi traditional practices (e.g. new gurdwaras, Amrit-dhari granthis) in these communities.

There are three other upcoming nascent Punjabi agricultural communities in Australia, namely Griffith in NSW, the Riverland area in South Australia and Innisfail in North Queensland. However, only time will tell whether they can maintain or preserve their Punjabi character. Griffith, in comparison to Woolgoolga, is a large city with only a small proportion of Punjabis. Given the nature of the locally diverse agriculture in Griffith, there are both itinerant Punjabis and non-Punjabi Indians also attracted to the area. So the intimacy and frequent contact does not exist as it did in Woolgoolga in the early period of settlement. In the communities of Innisfail and the Riverland, Punjabis live mainly on dispersed farms rather than in a village-style residence pattern. This, as already noted, is not conducive to community maintenance.

Demographically, Woolgoolga's Punjabi Sikh community probably reached its peak in the late 1990s. Thereafter, the decline in the banana industry and the lack of job opportunities for educated youth reversed the original trend of people migrating to Woolgoolga. This is not only affecting the Punjabis in Woolgoolga, but it is consistent with the trend in all of rural Australia, where the youth are increasingly moving to metropolitan areas to seek employment.

An informal survey of children of First Sikh Temple members in Woolgoolga reveals that 17 of them are at present away, primarily in Sydney, either studying at university or working in various professions. It is unlikely that these children will return to Woolgoolga for employment, although they may return to the rustic and idyllic life of Woolgoolga upon their retirement or when they have achieved independent wealth. Initial spouses brought out from India came from non-professional backgrounds, so they tended to be involved in the banana industry and remain in

Woolgoolga. However, more recent spouses brought from India tend to be professionally qualified in occupations for which there are no employment opportunities in Woolgoolga. These couples are also tending to drift away to the cities. If the trend of choosing spouses from Australia and other places outside of Punjabi villages becomes more prevalent, then there will be an inevitable dilution of the Punjabi character of the community.

So what will happen to the Punjabi Sikh community in Woolgoolga in the next 15 or 20 years? First, the banana industry has been in decline and is unlikely to rebound to the levels of earlier years. Therefore, we are looking at perhaps only a small number of quality banana growers remaining in Woolgoolga. This may be offset to some extent by diversification into blueberry and raspberry farming. And employment at the large blueberry farm will keep some going in Woolgoolga. Others are trying non-agricultural businesses (laundries, restaurants and stores) as a means of staying in Woolgoolga. The elderly and the adults of the community are unlikely to move away. Perhaps the older people living here will serve as babysitters for the children of their sons and daughters working in the metropolitan areas. If so, even though the young adults are living in Sydney, they will still maintain close relationships to the community in Woolgoolga. Traditionally, the Punjabis care for their elderly in the extended family environment.

However, the challenges of professional life in the city may make it difficult for them to care for their elderly parents. Woolgoolga, with its ideal environment, gurdwaras and village feel, can offer itself as a retirement village that caters for Punjabi Sikh elders, not just those living here now but from elsewhere as well.

Perhaps Southern Cross University will be a draw for Punjabi youth from elsewhere in Australia who want to escape the urban environment for the pleasant, seaside village life among fellow Punjabis in Woolgoolga and Coffs Harbour. This could counter the current migration of Woolgoolga youth to the cities. Woolgoolga is also potentially an ideal place to start a residential Sikh school that would serve Sikhs elsewhere in Australia or even beyond. The First Sikh Temple is anticipating building a new Sikh education centre that would comprise a gurdwara with langar hall and facilities for Punjabi cultural and Sikh religious education. After the completion of the new complex, the existing two buildings could easily be converted to classrooms or hostels. And city council sporting facilities are already available nearby.

The other variable likely to affect the future of the Punjabi Sikh community in Woolgoolga is the Government's immigration policy. At present, in all the Western countries, the ratio of aged people to working people is increasing. So there is talk of needing more immigrants whose taxes would support the aging population. Maybe in the next four or five years we will see a relaxation of Australian immigration policies, which might see more Punjabis coming to Australia. This may provide a boost to the Punjabi population in Woolgoolga.

The Pacific Highway between Sydney and Brisbane is being upgraded to a four-lane highway. When it is completed, in four or five years' time, it will drastically reduce the travelling time between Woolgoolga-Brisbane and Woolgoolga-Sydney. This may encourage the Punjabis to maintain Woolgoolga as a base even if they are working in these metropolitan areas. If the highway increases tourism to the area, it may also provide an opportunity for Sikhs to become involved in the hospitality industry.

With the inherent resourcefulness, resilience, enthusiasm and endurance of its members and by the grace of Wahe Guru, if some of the variables work in a positive way, the Woolgoolga Punjabi Sikh community will maintain its character and lifestyle and, hopefully, will flourish in the years to come.